SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HJR 205

Elimination of Non-School Property Tax for Homesteads for Persons Age 65 or Older
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SPONSOR
Porras
FILED BY
Juan Porras — District 119, Republican [search donations]
DIED IN
Ways & Means Committee

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Elimination of Non-School Property Tax for Homesteads for Persons Age 65 or Older; Proposes amendment to State Constitution to exempt homestead property from all levies other than school district levies for persons who have attained age 65, prohibit counties and municipalities from reducing total funding for law enforcement, and provide an effective date.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Exempts 65+ homesteads from all non-school property taxes.

Every Florida resident over 65 who owns and lives in their home is now fully exempt from all property taxes except those levied by school districts.

This replaces the current system where local governments could offer limited, income-based tax breaks to seniors, making the new exemption universal and automatic.

To offset the lost tax revenue, counties and municipalities are legally barred from cutting their law enforcement budgets below the higher of their 2025-26 or 2026-27 levels.

The new tax exemption and the law enforcement funding floor both take effect on January 1, 2027.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory Homestead Tax Exemption for Seniors majors. Article VII, Section 6(d)

AICreates a mandatory constitutional exemption from all non-school property taxes for residents age 65 and older, replacing the previous optional, income-limited system.

“shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for special benefits, for all levies other than school district levies.” bill text, line 26 →
§ 2 Law Enforcement Funding Floor majors. Article VIII, Section 7

AIProhibits counties and municipalities from reducing total law enforcement budgets below the higher of the 2025-2026 or 2026-2027 budgeted amounts, starting in 2027-2028.

“the total funding provided by each county and municipality for law enforcement services may not be less than such jurisdiction's total budgeted amount” bill text, line 174 →
§ 3 Effective Date moderates. Article XII

AISets the effective date for the tax exemption and law enforcement funding floor as January 1, 2027.

“shall take effect January 1, 2027” bill text, line 191 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Ways & Means Committee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
12/2/2025
Now in Ways & Means Committee
12/2/2025
Reported out of State Affairs Committee
12/2/2025
Favorable by State Affairs Committee
11/25/2025
Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
11/20/2025
Now in State Affairs Committee
11/20/2025
Reported out of Select Committee on Property Taxes
11/20/2025
Favorable by Select Committee on Property Taxes
11/13/2025
Added to Select Committee on Property Taxes agenda
10/16/2025
Now in Select Committee on Property Taxes
10/16/2025
Referred to Ways & Means Committee
10/16/2025
Referred to State Affairs Committee
10/16/2025
Referred to Select Committee on Property Taxes
10/16/2025
Filed
9 EARLIER →
STAFF ANALYSES